The Bethlehem Area School District this morning released a letter from schools Superintendent Joseph Roy to city Mayor Bob Donchez withdrawing the district's unpopular request to lease a portion of the park at Eighth Avenue and West Union Boulevard for parking during construction.

School officials proposed converting a 225-foot by 150-foot section of the park into parking for three and a half years starting in April 2015. An existing playground would have needed to be removed, to be replaced with a new one, and some trees would have been affected.

Roy says in the letter the sole intent was to reduce stresses on the neighborhoods during the $53.7 million school project, expected to wrap up in time for the 2017-18 school year.

"Our proposed lease of a portion of the Rose Garden was in anticipation of these challenges and with a desire to reduce traffic congestion, parking issues and pedestrian safety concerns for neighbors and student walkers," Roy wrote. "However, based on the public feedback from community members opposed to our plan to alleviate stress on the neighborhood, we are happy to withdraw the lease request."

Rose Garden neighbor DJ Seibert, who led the effort against the temporary parking lot, called the school district's withdrawal a victory for the community. He said he and others in the neighborhood plan to keep connected with both the school district and city to work on any other issues that arise during the Nitschmann construction.